CARD Hosts the First Speaker Series Event on Disability
The CARD Speaker Series began in October 2023 with Emily Tarconish, Ph.D., Teaching Assistant Professor, Special Education. Emily presented two projects that aim to expand access in postsecondary settings; “Building a Disabled Scholars Coalition” and “Experience Accessible Champaign-Urbana.” The event was attended by many CARD members who engaged in robust conversation on these two topics.
Collaboration Celebration
In December, CARD hosted an end of the semester get-together to celebrate and collaborate. Some of the topics discussed were the 2024 spring semester activities, methods to engage faculty, and departmental events.
Springtime Science Community Seminar Series
In April 2024, CARD partnered with Illinois Extension, Collaborations in Health, Aging, Research, and Technology (CHART), Technologies to Support Aging among People with Long-Term Disabilities (TechSAge), and the McKechnie Family LIFE Home to present the Springtime Science Community Seminar Series. This online series showcased TechSAge presentations on research-based topics related to complex health issues with experts offering holistic solution to address the health challenges.
The online series ran for three consecutive weeks in April featuring four Illinois students. On April 3, Andie Tangonan delivered the first presentation, “Increasing Safety: Developing a Fall Detection Device for wheelchair and Scooter Users”. This study, conducted by TechSAge D2 research team, a collaboration between the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Georgia Institute of Technology, explored the common issue of falls among wheelchair and scooter users. They are exploring the development of a cutting-edge system designed to detect falls and automatically alert caregivers or emergency professionals accurately. On April 10, the presentation, “Empowering Independence: Technology Solutions for Older Adults with Vision Impairment” presenter Tooba Umar explored the intersection of technology and daily living for older adults with vision impairments like macular degeneration or glaucoma. Tooba focused on the transformative impact of technology on enhancing quality of life and offered a more inclusive and equitable future, bridging the gaps between overcoming barriers and embracing innovations for older adults with vision conditions. On April 17, co-presenters Jaewon Kang and Kathryn Florence Huang talked about the potential of AI assistants in promoting independence and combating loneliness for older adults in their own homes, offering companionship, and simplifying daily tasks. They shared how technology can contribute to physical and psychological well-being, enabling people to live independently at home with the support of AI.